Irving, Tex.— Hanley Wood, owner and operator of Surfaces, has announced its speaker lineup for the show’s conference program to take place from Tues., Jan. 29 through Fri., Feb. 1 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Hanley Wood has also announced a number of new event offerings for 2008. Among them are new pavilions on the show floor featuring decorative concrete, new product and handcrafted tile. A new education logo with the tagline, “Learn, Network, Succeed” will also make its debut, as will new mini-sessions—six very interactive and high-energy 60-minute programs to be offered on Thursday and Friday from noon to 1 p.m.

A new attendee service center will also be offered. This area will be located on the lower level between the Sands Convention Center and Venetian Hotel and will provide food and beverage services, Internet access, show personnel how to make restaurant/ hotel reservations and feature a Barnes & Noble bookstore. A new retail tour will also make its debut, which will be the first time Surfaces offers an off-site activity for attendees.

Among the guest speakers will be Dave Gobis of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation. He will present “Proper Shower Sessions—Make Sure the Water Goes Down the Drain” from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Jan. 29. At the same time, FCNews’ Financial columnist Bart Basi of the Center for Financial, Legal & Tax Planning will talk about “Your Money, Your Business—Financial Management for the Business Owner.” Later that day, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender of Kizer & Bender Speaking! will discuss “First Impressions—The Art of Store Layout & Design,” which will feature an off-site tour of the Las Vegas retail scene.

On Jan. 30, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Basi will speak about “I Know My Business…But How Can I Make Money?” At the same time, another FCNews columnist, Scott Perron, author of Retailer2Retailer, will discuss “Advertising to Survive—Think Like An Entrepreneur.” Attorney Martin Silver, who pens the Legal column for FCNews, takes his turn, also from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., presenting “A Practical Approach to the Law for Floor Covering Professionals.”

On Jan. 31, FCICA’s Dave Stafford asks the question, “Have You Considered the Commercial Market Possibilities?” from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Finally, on Friday Feb. 1, CFI’s Jon Namba will discuss “Common Causes of Post-Installation Failures” from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

In other news, Surfaces 2008 attendee registration is now open. The show promises to be the biggest event to date. More than 90% of the show floor has already been sold, meaning attendees can expect to see more than 1,100 exhibiting companies introducing thousands of new products in every category. Plus, there are more educational offerings than ever, noted a spokeswoman for Hanley Wood.

Those who register by Dec. 19 are eligible to receive discounted exhibits and conference admission. 

“For the best deals on housing, airfare and car rental, you should sign up as soon as possible at www.surfaces.com,” the spokeswoman said. “There is a wide range of hotel prices to accommodate every budget, and car rental and airfare discounts are available on the Web site for added savings.”

For details on all events and features at the show, visit www.surfaces.com or call 800.547.3477.